This invention relates to digitizer tablets and the cursors used therewith and, in particular, to a cursor for use with a digitizing tablet which is simple and inexpensive to build and which provides the user with the feel of a mouse input device comprising, a case bottom piece having a flat bottom surface for sliding on the surface of the digitizing tablet, the case bottom piece having a bore therethrough at a back end thereof; at least two pairs of switches each including a short stroke actuating button; a printed circuit board sized to fit and disposed on an inner surface of the case bottom piece, the printed circuit board having each of the pair of switches mounted thereon side-by-side with respect to the other of the pair of switches with the actuating buttons thereof pointed vertically upward with respect to the inner surface and with one of the switches disposed longitudinally behind the other; a transparent front-piece disposed over the printed circuit board, the front-piece having slots therethrough through which the switches are disposed, the front-piece further having a front portion extending outward from a front end of the case bottom piece and parallel to the bottom surface, the front end having an annular armature formed thereon and having positioning means formed concentrically within the armature for positioning the armature at a desired point on the digitizing tablet to be sensed; a sensing coil of wire wound around the armature; a connecting cable of wires passing through the bore and electrically connected to the sensing coil of wire and the switches; and, a case top piece disposed over and releasably attached to the case bottom piece to form a hollow case in combination with the case bottom piece, the case top piece being tapered from a back end thereof towards a front end thereof to give the hollow case the feel of a mouse input device, the case top piece having a pair of longitudinal side pieces and a longitudinal rib extending downward from an inner surface of the case top piece and disposed between the longitudinal side pieces, a first torsion mounting strip extending transversely between one of the side pieces and the rib and a second torsion mounting strip extending transversely between the other of the side pieces and the rib, each of the first and second torsion mounting strips having a vertical member extending upward therefrom with a switch actuator arm formed at a top end thereof generally in the contour of a top surface of the top piece, each switch actuator arm having a pair of actuator fingers extending downward therefrom on opposite sides of the vertical member so as to be in alignment with and in close proximity to a top surface of respective ones of the actuator buttons of a one of the pair of switches disposed thereunder, whereby when one of the actuator arms is depressed on one end, it rotates slightly as a result of a twisting of its torsion bar an amount sufficient for the actuator finger under that end to depress the actuator button of the switch under that end of the switch actuator arm an amount which activates that switch and when pressure on the switch actuator arm is released, the switch actuator arm returns to its original position thereby opening the associated switch from a self-biasing force of the torsion bar.
Digitizer pad are well known in the art. In such devices, a pointing device is moved over the surface of a tablet and its absolute position on the tablet with reference to an X-Y coordinate system thereof is input to a computer when a switch on the pointing device is depressed by the user. The pointing devices typically take one of two forms--a pen/stylus or a "puck". A pen type pointing device has the position of the tip thereof sensed and there is usually only one switch associated with it which is actuated by pressing the tip against the tablet surface and/or by pressing a button on the barrel portion thereof. A puck type pointing device typically has a transparent portion with cross-hairs formed in it. The position of the cross-hairs is what is sensed. Usually, there are several buttons on the top of the puck body connected to associated switches. One of the switches causes the position of the cross-hairs to be detected while the remaining switches allow the user to provide choice inputs to programs using the digitizing tablet for an input device.
Another well known input device for use with computers is the "mouse". The mouse is self-contained and outputs a signal indicating sliding movement of the mouse over a surface in the X and Y directions. A typical mouse has from one to three switches on it, typically actuated by finger pressure along a front edge of the mouse. While digitizing tablets offer more power and flexibility as input devices to various computer programs, the mouse type input devices are more popular with personal computer (PC) users primarily for two reasons--cost and size. The typical mouse requires only about six inches by six inches of movement room and costs in the $75-100 range. By contrast, a typical "small" digitizer tablet is 16.times.16 and costs about $500. For those users who have a digitizer tablet, there are mouse simulation programs which will allow the puck to be moved over the surface of the tablet and the signal therefrom to be interpreted as relative movement in the manner of a mouse so that the user does not have to disconnect (or switch) between the digitizer tablet and the mouse.
In a co-pending patent application entitled DUAL-MODE CURSOR/MOUSE DIGITIZER TABLET SYSTEM by Steven R. Schmenk and Donald A. Beauvais, Ser. No. 07/993,973, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 869,101 filed Apr. 16, 1992, now abandoned, which was in turn a continuation of application Ser. No. 432,073 filed Nov. 6, 1989, now abandoned, and assigned to the common assignee of this application, a digitizing tablet system is disclosed which is intended to have a small footprint like a mouse and a low cost approaching that of a mouse so that it can truly become a mouse substitute with respect to input devices for computers. This system, which is soon to be commercially available from the assignee hereof under the trademark WIZ, required many innovative approaches to the design, construction, and manufacturing methods in order to make it meet its design object of being a truly viable mouse replacement product which can still provide users with a commercial grade input device.
As part of the product, a digitizing cursor was required which operated in the sensing mode of a digitizing puck while having the feel of a mouse to a user.
Wherefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a digitizer cursor/mouse which is of simplified construction and easy to build at low cost.
It is another object of this invention to provide a digitizer cursor/mouse which includes bi-directional switch actuators as part of a unitary construction.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a digitizer cursor/mouse which operates by movement across the surface of a digitizing tablet but which has the feel of a mouse.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.